Overseas trained GPs play an essential role in maintaining the quality of healthcare provision in New Zealand. The attraction of an excellent work/life balance, easy access to the great outdoors, and community spirit has drawn many internationally trained Doctors there already. Our Recruitment Consultant specialising in helping GPs relocate to New Zealand, Debbie Kirk, offers her insight into the lovely lifestyle on offer in New Zealand.
New Zealand is a beautiful country which has a well-deserved reputation as a location offering a great lifestyle. But it’s not just the landscape that is so attractive to Doctors looking to make the move overseas. GPs in New Zealand have consultation times of 10-15 minutes and see fewer patients. It is typical for GPs to work four days a week. Annual leave tends to be 20 days minimum and there is also the possibility to take study leave on top of this. All these factors combined offer a good sense of job satisfaction with an excellent work/life balance.
In 2012 the Department of Health commissioned a study into the reasons why UK Doctors move to, and then stay in, New Zealand. A large percentage of their respondents had originally intended to go short-term but ended up staying on. The findings of the report state that the lifestyle in New Zealand was the main factor for people deciding to stay on.
There is a shortage of medical professionals in New Zealand, their Government have rated medical skills as “essential”, and their healthcare system currently relies on overseas trained professionals to meet the medical needs of the community (over 40% of the healthcare workforce trained overseas). As an overseas trained professional you would make a valuable contribution to the quality of life in the country, indeed, your skills would play an essential role in maintaining their healthcare system. New Zealand welcomes GPs who are not only UK trained but also recognises a number of other countries in the world as having comparable experience.
The Registration process can be completed in in 2-3 months which means that it is possible to go for a shorter period of time. We regularly have a variety of positions available ranging from as short as a 6 month contracts to the more long term or even permanent positions.
Whether you are looking to go to New Zealand on a short term contract to experience another culture and bring all your experience and knowledge to benefit their health care system and then return to the UK with even more life experience, or if you are in fact looking to make the permanent move, New Zealand is the destination for you.
If you would like to talk more about what you can offer New Zealand and what New Zealand can offer you, I would love to hear from you.
If you’re interested in opportunities overseas, why not take a look at our Doctor's Guides for more information on living and working in all of the regions we recruit to. Alternatively, you can search all of the jobs we currently have available here.
If you would like further information on GP opportunities in New Zealand, contact Debbie Kirk on +44 (0)131 240 5279 or email debbiek@headmedical.com.